Celebration of Resistance: London, June 23

Join us for an evening of spoken word, music and resistance!

As part of Refugee Week 2018, we are teaming up with Quakers in Britain, STAR, and Freed Voices to celebrate people’s resistance to the injustice of immigration detention and the ‘hostile environment’.

Come and hear from poets and musicians who are at the forefront of forging creative responses – based on kindness and common humanity – to global economic inequality, climate change, and militarisation.

There will also be the chance to hear from grassroots organisations at the heart of building a culture of welcome – and find out more about how you can get involved in the growing racial justice movement.

When: Saturday 23rd June, 6pm – 9pm

Where: Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ

Line up:

Hejira

Hejira are a four-piece London band partly named after Joni Mitchell’s 1976 album, and partly after the Arabic word for “flight or journey to a more desirable place”.

JJ Bola

JJ Bola is an established writer and poet. He has written three collections: Elevate (2012), Daughter of the Sun (2014) and WORD (2015), and is the author of No Place to Call Home. He writes on themes related to migration, race and borders.

The Nawi Collective

The Nawi Collective are a London-based black women’s vocal collective who sing for justice to reclaim their time and for their ancestors.

Selina Nwulu

Selina Nwulu was the young poet laureate for London who work touches on social and environmental justice as well as identity, nostalgia and belonging.

Bards Without Borders

Bards Without Borders are a refugee and migrant poetry collective who have toured their performance responding to Shakespeare across the country and are now investigating the theme of ‘patriotism.’

On the night you will hear from grassroots organisations involved in the struggle against immigration detention and the ‘hostile environment’:

These Walls Must Fall

These Walls Must Fall is a growing network of groups, organisations, communites- from all sorts of backgrounds – with a determination to end the injustice of immigration detention. People have been pushing the campaign forward through their already existing communities, churches, trade unions, and schools. Both those at risk of detention and those who are not have vital roles to play in the campaign.

Freed Voices

Freed Voices is an expert by experience group, facilitated by Detention Action. They are a group of experts-by-experience committed to speaking out about the realities of immigration detention in the UK. Between them, they have lost over 20 years to detention in this country.

STAR – Student Action for Refugees

STAR is a national charity of 27,000 students welcoming refugees to the UK. Together they volunteer at local refugee projects, campaign to improve the lives of refugees, and educate people about refugees and asylum.

Quakers in Britain

Quakers in Britain are a faith group committed to working for equality and peace. They try to live in truth, peace, simplicity, and equality, finding God in ourselves and others.

When: Saturday 23rd June, 6pm – 9pm

Where: Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ

Get your tickets now! Tickets are £3-£5, with free tickets available for people from migrant and refugee backgrounds